KINGS v. BLUES OFFENSIVE ZONE ENTRY STATISTICS

Each of L.A.’s offensive zone entries that resulted in a shot on goal or a scoring opportunity (a deflected or blocked shot that had a chance) were given a Y mark.

Each of the Kings’ entries that failed to result in the above was given a X mark

Goals that resulted from Murray’s system of cycling the puck were circled when they were particularly effective or failed to be.

Here are the zone entry statistics for this game, save the last 23 seconds of the match…unfortunately, I had to record the game and for some reason, the recorder stopped with 23 seconds left…and the Kings owe me another remote controller. Without further digression:

FIRST PERIOD

Y, Y, X, Y (so much wasted energy on the cycle and it never produced a shot on goal), X, Y (still no shot on goal by this point at the 7 minute mark), nearly every zone entry is a failed cycle though I noticed the Kings defend very well against cycle, Y (Brown on 2 on 1, two shots generated on non dump and non cycle entry, one shot nearly scored), X (hopeless cycle, Blues had puck more than Kings did), Y (shot deflection wide), just horrible elbowing call on Poni, a phantom penalty.

At this point, the Blues put on clinic on how to get puck to middle of the ice and Brown took an obvious penalty causing a two man advantage. Blues scored a goal on the two man advantage with a one timer right in front of net. The Kings’ energy level does seem low and we are making Blues look like the Red Wings.

Kings on the powerplay now.

Y (All cycle. No attempt to get puck to middle. Pathetic. Only get Y because at least shot was attempted and blocked. Y (Johnson shot from inside blue line, Martinez shot never got through), powerplay is over, Y (shot wide), X, Kings powerplay, Y (shot didn’t get through, another from the point that went wide, pass does not connect), X (pathetic cycle), Y (2 on 1 with Kopitar and Smyth), powerplay over, Y (shot from point by Lewis and second from middle of ice, Halak looks good), X (cycles have become comedy at this point).

18 zone entries

12 offensive opportunities though the far majority of them were weak with shots getting blocked or not getting through

Murray’s cycle produced nothing

SECOND PERIOD

X, X, penalty against, Y (Williams shorthanded, penalty killed, and Stoll another great chance with pass near hashmark), Y (Doughty takes it himself followed by another good drive to net through middle, shot on net, draw penalty. When this team doesn’t cycle, it is dangerous), powerplay, X (back to cycle), X (dump and lose), X, X (this is pathetic), X (tipped out of play), Y (Johnson shot from the right dot), Y (Greene point shot), Y (Williams nice move at blue line, spin and shot), X (failed dump in), Y (shot wide), Y (shot wide), X, X, X (pointless cycle, 30 seconds of skating around), X, X, X, Y (blocked shot, cycling, no dangerous chances, shot wide, time spent in the offensive zone doing a lot of nothing), X (senseless cycling), Y (Doughty with good chance) and GOAL! (Matt Greene one time point shot…not a typo), X, Y (Smyth point shot), Y (Kopitar back hander from outside), X, stupid Doughty penalty in retaliation at the end of the period.

28 offensive zone entries

11 scoring opportunities.

Terry Murray’s cycle again produced nothing.

THIRD PERIOD

Great penalty kill, Y (Williams down the middle, good shot, near rebound chance), Y (first time cycle produced shot on goal with traffic and it was all Clifford who created it solo), X, Y (Doughty all alone driving down middle), Y (bad angle shot tipped), Y (shot from top of right circle on rush), Y (another bad angle shot wide), X, X, X, Y (blocked), Y (Smyth wrap around not even close), Y (from blue line), X, X (shot was so soft and wide and at an angle so bad, it cannot be a Y), wow, terrible goal by Quick, a wrist shot from the point, guess you’re sitting next game Quickie, just gave Murray an “out” to blame you, Kings powerplay, Y (blocked shots, wide shots, Smyth with chance down low), X (dump and lose it), X (dump and lose it), X, Y, Y, X (dump and chase with 1 minute in the game?), Y (hit and wide, followed by shots on goal).

23 offensive zone entries

13 scoring opportunities though only a few good ones.

Terry Murray’s cycle produced ONE scoring opportunity.

How long can Dean Lombardi look at these games, see what we see and do nothing? Do we have to be mathematically eliminated from the playoffs before he acts?

3 replies

I just wanted to say this is an absolutely great job by you dude. I would not have even close to the attention span to even get close to completing this. There can’t be any other hockey blog in the world doing this. Wish you can get a coaching job.

Thank you again for Stats! You really do a great job with them..I visually saw the game all over again..Really good job.
My DRV also stopped same time as yours(started watching late..so did not know either)
Someone was asleep at the programming controls! After the yet again failed awful PP I knew we were doomed…Good thing we did not miss out. The team has to be sick of this last 6 minutes of desperation to get a goal not to lose game that keeps occurring. Talk about a cycle..

That PP in the second where St.Louis had 5 strait clears before the Kings finnally got into the zone and forced a faceoff because of a shot that got tipped out of bounds was brutal to watch. The faceoff came with 20 seconds left. We spent the entire powerplay just trying to gain entry. Dump in, clear, dump in, clear, rinse repeat, rinse repeat.

I hate complaining so much. Wish I had something positive to hang my hat on.